As summer concludes, there is an element of fondness for the good things in life that the season has brought before us. There are lots of memories.

Spaghetti sauce with home grown tomatoes – not out of a can. Jars of chutney. A little bit of chilli added to the dish once the kids are served. Capsicums of all shapes and sizes. The peppery flavours of wild rocket, thrown on a pizza just before serving. All this and not one visit to the shops. Oh what a pleasure it has been.

If you got your tomatoes in by cup day, then bar any disasters, you should have got a good yield. Yes January was cooler, but the temperatures were still high enough to set fruit and without the extremes of really hot nights, pollination and fruit formation was excellent. Pictured is San Marzano Roma from Oasis seedlings.

Capsicum Long Green is always a favourite of mine and this year the yields were excellent. After stripping the fruit bare around christmas time, it flushed with a second bounty which we have been picking ever since. They were not all long either. There was a circular one too !

Zucchini didn’t go as well for me this year, but there were enough to keep us happy. We probably planted them in slightly shaded area, which combined with a cooler January wasn’t perfect for formation.

My thai chillis and long hot cayenne (pictured above) were quite hot. Jalapeno though is still quite mild even though it is red. Chillis get hotter as they get more sun so a cooler January has probably lowered overall heat levels. Don’t worry if your Jalapeno turn black – this is a normal progression from green, then they go black before finishing red.

I visited a vegie patch in Merricks which included this giant Tomato Sweet Bite plant. It was covered in fruit, but what really impressed me was this very solid staking system that included “reo” – you know the thick wire mesh they use in concrete. This won’t blow over ! And what about these climbing beans below.

The Merricks garden also had sunflowers which I just couldn’t resist.

Tomato Grape from Oasis came on strong in February when trusses like these coloured up beautifully. These grape shaped tomaotes are even sweeter than the cherry types. Quality seedlings of a high performing variety like this make it all worth it.

Tomato Mr Ugly is actually quite a beautiful fruit. For cooking it just can’t be beaten.

For heirloom tomatoes, I loved growing these Green Zebra. They fruited over such a long period and with such a nice fleshy inside, I eat them with just about everything.

This tomato was meant to be a Father Tom variety, but we laughed when we saw it because it looked so like a strawberry. Not sure who ate it, but somebody did. Pictured below is a gnarly old beetroot – usually you pick them tennis ball sized or less. Beautiful though.

After months that included preparation, digging, liquid feeding and mulching, thew harvest was my favourite part. It made me smile ! Bye summer.

Brandon Kroon is not your average young man. Although he is an artist, his paint brush is a chainsaw. Although he creates beautiful sculptures from wood, it is not obtained without the noise and drama of a Stihl chainsaw.

We have just loaded his latest carving on to the Gardenworld truck and head in for a coffee at the The ‘The Storehouse’ in Mount Evelyn. This part of the world is famous for its local nurseries, including native plant nursery Kuranga. The Storehouse sells all sorts of local produce, nuts and spices and features local artists. It also does a damn good coffee.

Brandon has been displaying some his carvings there for the last few months. Some of his other carvings, the rest of the world never actually sees, as quite often he is asked to come out to a property and work on a piece of wood that a client has saved for such an occasion.

We talk a bit more about wood, including cypress pine. A lot of them are suffering from dieback which I explain to him is from a canker caused by fungal spores. These are carried by the wind, water droplets or insects. It affects a large range of species. Ironically, this has actually kept Brandon incredibly busy, as a lot of these old dieing trees on farms still have very usable wood and the cypress wood is great for chainsaw carving.

It was in the National championships in January this year where our giant raptor was created. With contestants from all over the world, the standard was high. Although Brandon didn’t win the event, he is considered by many in the industry as an up and coming young gun. The log he drew did have a bit of rot in it, which he had to work around. Obviously, the width of the wood limits design extremes. Of course it’s not just done with a chainsaw. A lot of the finer details are finished on tools like Dremels, and other wood working gadgets. To me the highlight is the eggs that the raptor stands above. They add a bit of drama, and remind us that these bird related dinosaurs were hatched from eggs.

Once tied down in securely in the truck, it was back to the nursery. A couple of staff commented on the smell of the wood. They picked it was cypress. It was something I hadn’t noticed until now, but that unique woody smell was definately there.

Velociraptors existed some 75 million years ago. They grew to about 2 metres high, the same sight as this wonderful wood carving that has found a new home and is now on display with the rest of the dinosaurs at Gardenworld. Clive Palmer, eat your heart out !

It was a nature walk in search of the Rufous Bristlebird, an inconspicuous bird, but with a loud melodic call. The path took me towards Point Addis, a landmark some eight kilometres east of Anglesea, a little town on Victoria’s west coast.

The sign called it heathlands and raved about its masses of spring wildflowers – alas it was summer, and most of its flowers were long gone.

The rest of the sign, courtesy of the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee said:

“Coastal heathlands are classified as depleted in the Otway region as a result of land clearing for housing and agriculture.

Remnant areas such as this are further threatened by weed invasion and recreational pressures.

Heathland communities contain a vast array of indigenous plants including many rare orchids, and support a variety of native wildlife.”

It also told me that the tough wiry stems and prickly foliage of heathland communities provide protection, food and nesting sites for native wildlife.

These wildlife include the Southern Brown Bandicoot and the White Footed Dunnart – a small nocturnal carnivorous marsupial the size of a mouse. Along with the Rufous Bristlebird, these are all species of State or National significance.

I managed to see a lizard, a grasshopper and a very fast bird, whom was too fast for me to see if it was Rufous. It didn’t sound like him.

It was a rather desolate place this sort of plateau on the edge of crumbling cliffs by the side of the sea. Plants were arched from prevailing winds and must be regularly coated in salt laden spray. These impoverished soils and low summer rainfall contribute to a low growing or stunted landscape.What initially looked quite barren, suddenly was thriving. Sit there for a while, and you see that it is quite alive; and free.

Beyond the heathlands were some low growing gum trees and a rather steep hill. The climb rewarded me with this view to the west. It reminded me how lucky I was to have wandered through this little heathland on this very day; and still that Rufous Bristlebird, remains a mystery to me.

At this time of the year, some of our growers show some of the new plants that are in the system. One such company is Touch of Class plants, located about an hour out of Melbourne, in Tynong.

They propagate plants and sell them to growers all over Australia. Nurseries like ourselves get to see what’s coming up for future gardeners – and we all have different opinions, and here is mine:

Hebe Grace Kelly:

Ok, it’s just a hebe, but this aptly named plant has a classic antique look that is not at all modern. I shouldn’t actually like this plant, but its somewhat dated old school look would actually be stunning in the right pot. Hebe’s also make very good filler plants as they are hardy and need little water once established. This one might just end up a classic.

Heuchera:

These come from a US breeder called Terra Nova who are famous for this range of plants. I just love the lushy leaf growth more so than the flowers. They become vivid in winter and will take a dappled light situation. Pictured above is Lime Marmalade and Black Taffeta. Below is Coco and then Sugar Plum.

Agapanthus Barley Blue:

There were quite a few nice agapanthus, but this one pictured above was my favourite. It was a lovely shade of blue and quite compact. Next to it is Phormium Back in Black, a comapct dark coloured flax that makes a great coastal plant.

Eucomis by Terra Nova:

These young plants look quite special. Alas, they will grow into a bigger hardy clumping plant. Apparently they have little pineapple like flowers on them. Pictured above is Dark Star and below is Freckles.

Buddleia Blue and Pink Compact:

These two buddleia are compact forms and only grow 50-60cm tall. They are long flowering, and require no dead heading. They are a much more controllable plant and pictured above is Blue Chip Jr, and below is Micro Pink Chip. These are sure to be cottage garden favourites and would be right at home in a mixed salvia garden.

Some of these plants will be released, some may not. It is pleasing to see some exciting plants in the pipeline and I will looking forward to offering them in our nursery in 2015.

Was lucky enough to visit two gardens in the 2014 Garden Design Fest and this garden in a Melbourne suburb called Highett was one of them.

It was designed by Stephen Read. I found it to be a very refreshing garden and it reinforced some old ideas and introduced some new.

The use of bollards might be an old idea, but it was executed with perfection. The curve of the structures and the simplicity of the planting of Bearberry Cotoneaster dammeri that surround the solitary Cypress, and common plant in this suburbia. The house seems protected yet at the same time open to the world around it.

But what really hits you in the face as you walk in is this stunning wall of Boston Ivy intertwined with Chinese Star Jasmine. In this spring November garden, it was peaking.

This Chinese Star Jasmine by itself looked pretty good too ! And further in behind the bollards was a nice sitting area surrounder by a ‘wonderful’ Pomegranate hedge with Feather reed grass. Hmmm what a good idea. I could imagine mum out here on the ipad, just getting away for a bit of wireless online shopping.

Another fence covered spectacularly but this time with Boston Ivy and Silver Vein Creeper, another one of the Parthenocissus species and another stunning blending of varieties.

Heading down the side of the house, note the red bricks drawing you along what is a very narrow path, but which allows for a nice wide vegetable garden, sensibly designed on the north side of the block. Incorporating terracotta pots into the actual garden, creates a really nice effect, especially with some blue lobelia added for colour.

At this point you reach the backyard. In between the paving is three poignant olive trees and pencil pines adorn the main bed. They are surround by Salvia and Rudbeckia. There appear to be more pomegranate along the back fence, but this is still a young planting and the garden hasn’t yet fully pronounced its full coming.

From there, the things that really impressed me were the differing levels of the ground and the way decking and garden had been incorporated. Nothing was too overdone, but there was just so much there to take in. I am sure the proud owners spend hours siting out there with a paper, occasionally peering up to watch it grow.

A fig tree which will one day shade the house and provide food for the family in just a month or so’s time. A great place to end this little tour. I hope you enjoyed this garden as much as i did. Its simplicity in the front, flowed through to a more complex back yard, that in about 5 years time would have me really curious in seeing. I left this garden content. I wanted to go around each next corner….yes it really dragged me in. It is a privilege for both the designer and owner to let us see it. Next time you hear about an open garden, why don’t you just drop by for a little bit of inspiration….and a little bit of joy.

Yesterday I visited a beautiful open garden in Mount Eliza called Earimil Gardens, a privately owned and independently displayed coastal garden rambling over 3 hectares located on a steep cliff block. Many mature trees protect the gardens exposed position and provide shade in a mostly sun drenched space. Admire sweeping views of surrounding land from a jutting viewing platform – once a helicopter landing pad.

Elaine, the owner of the property at in Mount Eliza, invites the public into her gardens for a $10 entry fee going to charity (children free) When I arrive I find Elaine talking to a group of visitors. She is obviously enjoying the experience of sharing her wonderful gardens. I can see she and her helpers have taken care to put on a terrific day, the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, an acoustic guitarist plays to several groups enjoying picnic lunches on the lawns. Many inspired noises can be heard from people as they make notes to apply to their own gardens.

My kids enjoy finding all the Australian wildlife sculptures tucked away in the gardens but to me the flower beds are the highlight of this garden; providing the visitor with delightful layers of prolific colour. Thought has been put into the smallest details, from nasturtiums and erigeron encouraged to grow randomly through a fence to grand bay views framed through magnificent cascading rose and clematis vines in full bloom. Breath taking, a delightful chaotic wildness is tempered by someone’s loving attention to detail, not a weed or a dead flower to be found.

When Elaine decides to open her delightful garden again I highly recommend a visit.

By James WallGrowing tomatoes is a bit of a phenomenon in spring and summer. Growers are busy staking, tying, feeding, watering and pruning their plants.

Staking is best done early on so as not to damage established root systems. Plastic or wire cages can be bought, or you can use trusty old wooden tomato stakes – although keep in mind wood can harbor disease, so don’t use the old ones if you had problems last year. Tie the plants to the stakes with a soft or flexible tie. This helps you take control of the plant. Once a seedling bends over, you can never get that bend out of the stem, so early training makes a big difference later on.

Although some people never prune tomato plants, trends have seen people pruning plants more. The side shoots between the shade leaf and the stem are removed so as to produce just one or two leaders. The second leader is usually the one below the first flower truss. Pinch the side shoots out if only young, or snip them out if they are bigger. Once there are signs of fruit, many people are also reducing some of the leaf canopy, with the theory that there is more energy to concentrate on the fruit.

Chicken manure is high in nitrogen and is great to dig in initially as it promotes leaf growth. Used too much later on, you will get soft leafy branches, with few tomatoes. Once the plants are above knee high and starting to flower, you are better off using a fertilizer high in potassium (K) and calcium. Debco Tomato Food is good for this. Put two teaspoons in a nine litre watering can and water in every two weeks or as required. Lush plants will be nice and green whereas hungry plants will be a lighter green, yellow, or even purple in colour if they are lacking in particular nutrients.

Watering at even intervals will make a huge difference to tomato yields. Every 2 to 3 days during cooler weather and every day during hot weather. Water earlier in the day, and keep the leaves dry to prevent bacterial problems. These bacterial specs can actually result from dirt splashing up and onto the plants, so maybe water with the pressure turned down a little. Some of the weaker varieties like Yellow Pear may even need a copper spray to get over a bacterial problem. Pinch the branches off where the bacterial spots are, and then wash your hands before handling the plants further. This year we have also seen a few plants where the plant tie halfway down the plant has rubbed off the main stem’s skin and exposed this area of the plant to a black or brown bacterial disease. This can happen to the young seedlings in particularly windy conditions. In bad cases, we should destroy these plants. It gets back to watering – do not over water young seedlings early on in the growing season.

a sideshoot between stem and shade leaf

Tomatoes can also be grown successfully in pots. Choose a pot at least 30cm in diameter and fill with potting mix. Put a saucer under the pot so as to have an extra reservoir of water for those weekends when you are away. There are also varieties more suited to pot growing including Pot Prize, Super Prize, Tumbler, dwarf roma and the new Cherry Fountain from Oasis.

Some of my favourites include Truss Plum, Mighty Red, Sweet Grape, Mr Ugly and the heirlooms Tigerella and Green Zebra.

The final thing we need on our side is some nice warm 25 degree days in January and February. This will really get them fruiting, and means a big difference between a poor crop and a bumper crop. Like all horticultural pursuits, this is out of our control and in the lap of the gods. Is it all worth it ? What have we urban farmers got to lose – not much. What we have to gain, is the joy of picking a fresh tomato, taking it inside and putting it on top of a salada biscuit with a little pepper, and eating it with a lot of satisfaction. Good luck to us all !

If the food in The Gardenworld Cafe was not already delicious by itself, today it was beautifully garnished by our chefs. They have used freshly picked pansies – plants from the viola family. Pansy flowers are actually edible and are sometimes seen in salads,along with other edible flowers such as nasturtiums and calendula. This time they have combined them with sprigs of rosemary, to make the perfect garnish. It is a simple idea for your next dinner party.

The cafe is open 9 to 5, seven days a week and has a huge range of both sweet and savoury dishes, The sausage rolls and gourmet pies are baked in house, along with most of the main meals. The selection of cakes includes an amazingly tasty vanilla slice !

Pansies also make great pressed flowers which can be used on gift cards. Of course the big old phone books used to be perfect for this, but you ca also buy a flower press.

Pansies are in full flower right now, but you won’t find that many for sale in the nursery because the little seedlings are best planted the autumn and winter to be flowering at their best right now. You can buy them in advanced pots for some instant colour.

Local Tip: Get to the cafe before 12.15 for lunch and you are almost guaranteed a seat. For large groups, bookings are advised. Call Dani on 9769 1019.

Yes the nasturtium is a bit of a rambler, or a roamer. I like to think of it as a plant that likes a bit of a wander. It is a fast growing annual plant that comes from Peru and Ecuador in South America. It has large round leaves and red to orange or shades of yellow trumpet like flowers. It doesn’t need much fertiliser and in fact too much manure and it will go all leafy and not flower much at all. It can be grown all year, but will flower mainly in Spring to Autumn.

It would make a good plant for a kinder garden, as the large seeds are easy to direct sow into the garden and will germinate in just a couple of weeks. The growth of the seedling is then quite rapid, something somewhat impatient children will appreciate.

Seedlings can also be planted, with the two main varieties available being ‘Jewel Mix’ which is more sprawly, and ‘Alaska Mix’ which is more compact and has variegated leaves. In seed packs there are more unusual varieties which include single colours and double flowers.

A big claim to fame for this plant is that it has edible flowers which are used to colour up salads. The seeds and leaves are also edible and even though I can’t say I have cooked with them yet, many chefs around the world have incorporated them into foods such as pesto, where they apparently add a peppery taste. Funny, watercress have round leaves and they’re a little peppery too.

One of the traits of this plant is that it easily self seeds, which means it can take control of parts of your garden, competing staunchly against other plants, so much so it is considered to be an environmental weed in some regions. That makes it a great city plant, but maybe it shouldn’t be grown in a country garden. It can be controlled by pulling out young seedlings, or digging deeper to remove larger ones. It still may come up a couple more times, but persistently removing it will eventually stop it.

Fond memories for me, are balls of water that form on the leaves. Yes, it is probably the leaf of this plant that I like more than the flower. They are an interesting shape and a rather appealing mat green.

Some may find the nasturtium creepy, but for me, it is the true urban rambler.